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Next week Santa will be making his annual trip to give presents to good boys and girls all around the world – which makes me think: One, I hope I am on his nice list so I do not get a lump of coal. Two, I am really worried about Santa’s skin.

First, he lives at the North Pole. That means that during the summer months, he is exposed to a lot of sunlight and UV rays. I sincerely hope he uses a daily SPF that he reapplies regularly to help protect against the damage those UV rays can cause. They can break down collagen, causing the loss of the skin’s elasticity and wrinkles (and we know that Santa isn’t exactly a spring chicken). Even worse, UV exposure is associated with an increased occurrence of skin cancer.

And let’s talk about Santa’s rosy cheeks. Excessive redness in the skin can have many causes (sun exposure, wind, cold, heat, etc.), but it could also be caused by rosacea. Santa needs to get checked out by a dermatologist to determine whether he does in fact suffer from rosacea (like some 16 million Americans). If so, he can discover his rosacea triggers and work to avoid them.

Third, all those cookies with milk on his Christmas rounds sound delicious, but studies have shown a link between consumption of dairy (milk specifically) and breakouts. The milk triggers a hormonal reaction which causes the skin to produce excess sebum. That sebum in turn clogs the pores in your skin leading to a breakout.

In fact, rather than putting out cookies and milk for Santa this year (let’s be honest, he probably has enough from his other stops), I am going to leave the big guy a gift card for a skoah facial. Then one of our Skin Care Trainers can have a heart to heart about his skin care routine and address some of the above issues. Plus, I am sure after he is done with his busy season, he could use the pampering and relaxation.